Device for adjusting the distance between tools in printing machinery

ABSTRACT

A device for adjusting the distance between adjacent rotating tools, the tools arranged in lateral supports on a common base frame of a printing apparatus of which the axes extend in parallel. The distance of the tools relative to one other in their lateral supports is adjustable on a sliding rail in the base frame. The device includes a guide disposed on at least one of the lateral supports. The guide extends obliquely to the vertical direction. Also provided is an adjustably displaceable sliding element retained by the guide. The sliding element has a first and second end. A counter abutment surface is provided on at least one of the other lateral supports. The first end of the sliding element configured to contact the counter abutment surface. An adjusting drive is configured to act on the second end of the sliding element so that the sliding element acts on the counter abutment surface and adjusts the other lateral support.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for adjusting the distancebetween adjacent tools (having parallel axes) arranged on a common baseframe of a printing unit. The invention especially relates to adjustingthe distance between a form cylinder and a counter pressure cylinder anda color apparatus, in which the tools are displaceable relative to eachother via a sliding guide.

It has been found to be advantageous in printing machines—particularlylabel printing machines—to allocate separate drives by means of a servomotor to the separate units of a printing machine such as the printingcylinder, embossing cylinder, or punching cylinder. This replaces thecentral drive and gear wheels (or chains or toothed belts).

Such a set-up is beneficial in that the individual components of eachprinting unit can be exchanged relatively quickly and easily. Thisallows the machine to be used in a more optimal fashion.

With regard to label printing machines, the highest demands are made onthe precise position of each tool. Moreover, the simple and fastexchanging potential poses high demands on the interface of the changefunctions, namely the drive bearing arrangement between one end of thetools and the drive shaft of the stationary mounted servomotor.

One of the necessary adjustments is the distance between the tools of aprinting unit. As a tool drives by means of servomotors this cannotproceed any longer through the conventional distance rings.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a distance adjustingdevice that is specifically suitable for servo driven tools at printingunits.

This object has been solved by a device for adjusting the distancebetween adjacent rotating tools, the tools arranged in lateral supportson a common base frame of a printing apparatus of which the axes extendin parallel. The distance of the tools relative to one other in theirlateral supports is adjustable on a sliding rail in the base frame. Thedevice includes a guide disposed on at least one of the lateralsupports. The guide extends obliquely to the vertical direction. Alsoprovided is an adjustably displaceable sliding element retained by theguide. The sliding element has a first and second end. A counterabutment surface is provided on at least one of the other lateralsupports. The first end of the sliding element configured to contact thecounter abutment surface. An adjusting drive is configured to act on thesecond end of the sliding element so that the sliding element acts onthe counter abutment surface and adjusts the other lateral support.

With reference to the drawing, an embodiment of the invention will beexplained hereinafter in more detail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A schematic illustration of a printing unit equipped with a distanceadjusting device in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The FIGURE schematically illustrates a base frame G of a printing unitsuch as a label printing device, on which tools—for example, a colorapparatus A, a form cylinder B, and a counter pressure cylinder C—can bearranged at predetermined mutual distances. For reasons of an improvedclarity, the tools themselves are not illustrated. Instead, only theirlateral supports 1′, 2′, and 3′ are shown (motor side) on whichservomotors (not illustrated) are mounted.

In this embodiment, the tool frames with the tool supports of the colorapparatus A and of the form cylinder B are displaceable relative to eachother and relative to the support for the counter pressure cylinder C inorder to adjust the mutual distances to the precise values.

Lateral abutment surfaces 1″ and 3″ are respectively disposed on bothouter supports 1′ and 3′. Abutment surfaces 1″ and 3″ have apredetermined distance from the corresponding tool axis. The supports 1′and 3′ are finely adjustable such as to perform correcting adjustmentsduring operation.

A device for setting arbitrary mutual distances to the adjacent tool isdisposed at center support 2′ of the tool—in this case form cylinder B.The device consists of sliding elements 4,5 that are displaceably guidedin guides (recesses) of the support 2′. Covering disks 6, 7, 8, 9, 10hold the sliding elements in place.

The upper ends of sliding elements 4, 5 comprise counter-abutmentsurfaces 1′″ and 3′″, respectively, to the abutment surfaces 1″ and 3″and determine the effective distance. The sliding elements 4,5 arebrought into the desired position together or individually by a drivingpush rod 13. When the desired distances are set, it is merely necessaryto push the bottom frames of the two tools at the left side towards eachother and against the one of the tool completely towards the right andto arrest them.

The distance adjusting device with the sides or sliding elements,respectively, is located preferably at both sides (pair wise) at bothflanges, whereby the adjustment drive of each pair proceeds insynchronism.

By means of the distance adjusting device according to the presentinvention, any distance can be set, whereby the adjusting can proceedautomatically by suitable electronics.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for adjusting the distance betweenadjacent rotating tools, the tools arranged in lateral supports on acommon base frame of a printing apparatus of which the axes extend inparallel, the distance of the tools relative to one other in theirlateral supports is adjustable on a sliding rail in the base frame, thedevice comprising: a guide disposed on at least one of the lateralsupports, the guide extending obliquely to a vertical direction; anadjustably displaceable sliding element retained by the guide, thesliding element having a first and second end; a counter abutmentsurface on at least one of the other lateral supports, the first end ofthe sliding element configured to contact the counter abutment surface;an adjusting drive configured to act on the second end of the slidingelement so that the sliding element acts on the counter abutment surfaceand adjusts the other lateral support.
 2. The device according to claim1 further comprising: a setting device disposed on lateral supports ofeach tool so that both are adjusted synchronously.
 3. The deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein the device is used in conjunction withthree adjacently arranged tools, the device further comprising a secondsliding element on the support of a central tool, each sliding elementis adjustable towards an adjacent tool.
 4. The device according to claim3 wherein the sliding elements are individually adjustable at each sideof the support for setting an arbitrary distance to the adjacent tool.5. The device according to claim 3 wherein the sliding elements arearranged in a V-shaped configuration on the tool support and theadjusting drive acts onto the second ends of the sliding elements toadjust the tools.
 6. The device according to claim 1 further comprisinggrooves in the tool support for guiding the sliding elements.